This section of the website features publications about Clan Matheson and the stories of particular Matheson families.

Clan Matheson

History of the Mathesons, with genealogies of the various families

This book covers in some detail the different families of the clan, and describes the Matheson tartan and coats of arms.  There are two different editions of this book, published in 1882 and 1900, and both are available free from the Internet Archive.  For more details click here.

Waipu migration

More than 900 Highland Scots left their homes in Nova Scotia and in Scotland, and emigrated to New Zealand where they formed a community at Waipu that more than 150 years later is still very proud of its Scottish origins.

Much has been written about this migration, but in an odd way the story is still being told.  Two publications from the 1920s are rather romantic in their descriptions; two more well-researched books from the 1930s and 1950s are the most-widely quoted (and the first benefited from direct contact with some of the first settlers).  One very recent book has the advantage of today’s easier access to original reference material.  For more information about these and other books, and how to get hold of them, click here.

Family histories of New Zealand Mathesons

Some  Mathesons in New Zealand have written accounts of their families and their migration stories, and those we know about are listed here.  If you know of any other publications about Mathesons in New Zealand we’d love to hear from you.